1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a guide for use in marking or scoring drywall, paneling or the like. The guide securely holds a marker or utility knife at an appropriate angle to mark or score the material.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Drywall, paneling and other sheet building materials come in standard sizes and shapes. Panels of the material are cut to fit before they are installed on a wall or ceiling. In the case of drywall, a straight cut is made on the face side of the sheet with a utility knife or the like held at a right angle to the sheet. The score should be completely through the face paper and part way into the core. The core is then broken by snapping or bending the sheet away from the scored paper side. With the partially separated portion folded back, the exposed backing paper is cut with the knife. On the face side of the board, the location of holes for electrical outlets and other openings are marked. Holes are then drilled at the corners of the openings and a knife or saw used to remove the piece to be detached. Paneling or other sheet building materials are marked with straight lines and cut with a saw.
In construction, a score or mark is made by a worker using a retractable measuring tape with a slide lock in one hand and a pencil or utility knife in the other. The user runs the measuring tape, locked to a length, along a side edge of the panel with one hand, while the other hand operates a pencil or knife making a line or score parallel to the side edge of the panel. During this operation, the worker gives the rule a slight twist and pinches the pencil or knife against an L-shaped tab which is found on the end of a conventional steel measuring tape. In practice, it is nearly impossible to keep the pencil or knife perpendicular to the sheet and make a completely straight line or score.
There are devices which offer partial solutions to the above-mentioned problem. Representative ones of which are described in the following U.S. patents which are incorporated by reference herein: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,255,856, 4,949,462, 5,231,764, 5,289,637, 5,542,184, 5,966,820, 5,979,063 and 6,295,739.